How many of you guys do your own wrenching?

Question

I know not everybody knows how to build thier own bike but you should at least be able to turn a wrench when needed. Im ol school I build my bikes and wrench em myself if needed. I fabricate my own parts to. no off the shelf stuff on my choppers.

Answer 1

I do my own brakes, oil & filter change, coolant flushes, and other minor stuff. i stay away from carbs and motor work.

To me wrenching is like part of the relationship with your bike. It's quality time to show the bike some TLC. You gotta know your bike to the point that any small change in sound, ride, or appearance will stand out asap.

Answer 2

I do some of the basics on mine currently.  The only thing I am not comfortable with is anything dealing with major electrical.  

I have done some fabrication in the past when I had access to equipment.  English wheel, good pipe bender, beverley sheer, dishing hammers, etc are not cheep and I wouldn't have storage or much use for them currently.

Answer 3

My hubby & I do pretty much all of our own work.... yes, I actually wrench on mine.  My husband does all of the fabrication, except welding (which we both do), but we have hired out for engine machining.

We both ride old Harleys (pre-Evo) & knowing about our bikes has kept us of trailers a few times.

Answer 4

>>  I fabricate my own parts to. no off the shelf stuff on my choppers.

Dang, that's hardcore.

===

I stick to doing my own repair.  That good enough for me.

Good Luck...

Answer 5

Built my bike and fabricated my own parts, too. The only thing that came off the shelf for me was my electrical and bars. But then again, I wouldn't say I fit the "chopper" category. I built a bobber... a mean, nasty, flat black, balls to the wall, kidney crush'n bobber.

I wrench my own, I carry serious tools on my bike, and I don't expect anyone to know as much about my bike as I do. Now having said that, I also own a Ducati because everyone should own two or more bikes and have one for every occasion. I don't wrench my Duc cuz it's still under warranty and I don't see the reason to void a perfectly good warranty by doing it myself... but I will once the 2 year warrant expires.

Answer 6

well im not a guy but do my own wrenching in my shop im currently customizing a old 76 500t into a bobber yeah i said bobber looks bad azz

Answer 7

I do, but I made the mistake of buying a brand new bike once, and couldn't because of waranty concerns.  Other than that one, all my bikes are classics, and not too many shops would even look at them.  I get a kick out of people who brag up their machines, when the only thing that they really know about them is what the sales guy told them before they signed the loan papers.

Answer 8

I wish I had your skill, I have a guy a couple doors down that is skilled like that, all the older Harley guys are I think. Back in the day, the common belief was if you don’t know how to fix them, you shouldn’t be riding a Harley, ANY old timer will tell you that, But the guy a couple doors down, he completely fabricated his own oil cooler to an old Harley he had, he keeps a metal trailer behind his house with a few old Frames and Engines in it, I will change my own fluids, or added my windshield or backrest and basic stuff like that, but nothing inside the engine.  BUT I am trying to learn more.    Engine mechanics and Plumbing are the things I have not conquered but normally am pretty handy

Answer 9

This spring I needed to mount an oil cooler on my '84 Kawasaki.  Of course, the necessary fittings to tap into the oil galley are non-existant, so I turned down a wooden blank on a wood lathe, built my own furnace, melded down aluminum garage door frames, sand cast the piece, machined it, did all other kinds of ordinary stuff (fittings, lines, etc) and ended up with a whopping good cooler that ended overheating problems.  I also cut new valve seats on the same bike earlier (6 cylinder).  I do all of this in my old shop, nothing fancy.    

Answer 10

Me too.

Got a manual for every vehicle I ever owned.

Took my first car in for some work after I bought it. Tires, brakes, exhaust....

First purchase after the bill - a manual.

Done my own work ever since.

This computer control stuff would be easy too, if I could SEE what the darn thing was doing.

Answer 11

To me, wrenching is part of motorcycling. It's part of that undefined and vague set of requirements that seperate the poseurs from the actual motorcyclists. To me there is no difference between some kid remapping the EFI on his GSXR1000 with a laptop, and a Harley rider adjusting his own primary. They both get my respect.  When you work on your machine, you are building a bond with it that makes that bike "yours." Some people who just throw down plastic at the dealer get all defensive when they hear that. They just don't get the difference.

Sucks to be them.

Answer 12

That's the reason that when I got my Shovel ('82 FXR) I deliberately picked a basket case and started from a bare frame. Sure, I ran into a few roadblocks, and it got frustrating at times, but now I've got a satisfaction with the bike and a knowledge of it I'd never have by writing a check. After all, how much you need to know to write a check? I know it ain't for everyone, but it was the only way for me.

Answer 13

i do as much as i can.  if i don't know how to fix my car or bike, i'll go buy the part i think i need, then just find it on the vehicle and try to replace it.  or on my current bike i bought a shop manual, so i'll try to find the answer in there to figure it out.  

Answer 14

I have been working on bikes since I was 10, but I do not agree that anyone that rides needs to be a motorcycle mechanic. You probably enjoy turning wrenches, not everyone feels that way. I sure don't and I'll pay a mechanic any day of the week to avoid it even though I am capable and have the tools. I think it is great if you enjoy being a DIY kind of person, but it ain't my kinda gig. Regardless of what some headuptheass people may think, wanting to do something like spend time with your kids instead of working on your bike does not make someone a poser and walking around with grease under your fingernails does not make you a hard core biker.

Answer 15

I buy a manual at least for every vehicle I have. Fix everything I can myself, occasionally the shop will get my vehicles if I dont have the equipment, time or tools to do the job

Answer 16

I don't have the need or desire to fabricate my own parts but I will still rebuild my bike from the ground up or repair or redo the engine. I might fabricate my own stuff in a little while but it will only be a little welding here and there for some tail turn signals.  

Answer 17

I guess I do too. I do as much work on my own vehicles as I possibly can. The only time I took my vehicle to the shop was to replace the transmission. Other than that, I do everything else from air conditioning to cooling system repair and maintenance.

I just started working on motor scooters mostly because my son started getting into that. So I hope to become literate in motor scooters in the near future.

Answer 18

Ditto, I do all the work on my pan and flathead. I sometimes take my Road Glide to a buddies shop for some things because I'm not too well versed on this new stuff and I dont have the equipment to read trouble codes and maps. Plus, I just don't enjoy working on newer bikes.

Answer 19

Me me, oh pick me!  

Not that I have any choppers.  I do own a Matchless, a '55 BMW and a '62 Triumph.  I have a Whizzer too, but haven't gotten around to putting it together yet.

I own a pickup and a few cages too.

Answer 20

I do just about all my own wrenching on my bike as well and have made my own parts it helps to be a cnc machininst and I work on my truck and car as well unless I just don't have the equipment needed to it  then I take it to a shop ,the only thing I don't do on the bike is change the tires on the rims easier to let a shop do it

Answer 21

don't have much equipment to fab from scratch, have access to computer plasma cutter and lathes and such, but no cnc or jet work.  have mig but don't have tig.

can pretty well wrench anything, but have to rely on club members for dyno work or chroming, still get a h**l of a deal though

Answer 22

I know its not a competition..  But I WIN..   wrenching, welding, machining,..  

but i do have an advantage..  Fitter & turner by trade..   & I work at a training school for apprentices..   so I get to use all the machines..

got lathes, mills, saws,drill presses,surface grinders,cylindrical grinders,CNC machines,  Oxy Acetet welders, stick MIG  TIG  Submerged arc Welders....

can make everything from scratch if I need to..

sure comes in handy sometimes..   (recently helped a couple of mates out with parts).. one is building a ford GT40 replica,,  & the other is rebuilding a Wileys Knight(1926)...

Answer 23

I do my own to a certain extent. Anything major I pay a professional but I do brakes, wheel bearings, oil changes, adjustment stuff like that, I blow a top end, it's going to the shop!  

Answer 24

(raises hand from back of the room)

Answer 25

I do my own maintenance and have even made wheel spacers for my jeep but I am no pro at it.  No intention of making my own bike, Honda knows a few more thing about performance than I ever will and there are quite a few aftermarket companies that can improve upon what is left.  I used to take my bike in to get the tires changed thinking that if I made a mistake it was my a$$ on the line and they are the pros after all, then one time they forgot to tighten the pinch bolt up front, they were visibly loose and sticking out.  That was the last time I allowed the bike in the shop, now they only balance the wheel, as I said it's my a$$ on the line.